Intel Core i5-4690K vs Intel Core i7-5850HQ Comparison

The Intel Core i7-5850HQ and Intel Core i5-4690K represent two distinct approaches to desktop processing from the same generation era, yet the benchmark data shows a decisive overall winner. While both processors share the same 40th percentile ranking among all CPUs, the i7-5850HQ holds a consistent lead across every single Cinebench test, with performance deltas ranging from 20.6% to 21%. Despite the i5-4690K’s higher clock speeds and unlocked multiplier, the i7-5850HQ’s additional threads and architectural advantages prove dominant in the measured workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the head-to-head results is the uniformity of the i7-5850HQ’s victory. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-5850HQ scores 588 against the i5-4690K’s 486, a 21% advantage. The single-core R15 test tells a similar story: 82 versus 68, a 20.6% lead. This consistency suggests the i7-5850HQ’s advantage is structural rather than workload-specific.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the delta remains remarkably stable. The i7-5850HQ posts 2451 in multi-core versus 2027 for the i5-4690K, again a 20.9% gap. Single-core R20 shows 345 versus 286, translating to a 20.6% edge. The pattern holds in the newer R23 benchmark as well, with the i7-5850HQ scoring 5836 to the i5-4690K’s 4828 in multi-core (20.9% delta) and 823 to 681 in single-core (20.9% delta).

The data records 6 wins for the i7-5850HQ and 0 for the i5-4690K across all head-to-head tests. Notably, the i5-4690K does have additional Geekbench scores not present for the i7-5850HQ — 3789 multi-core and 1292 single-core — but these cannot be directly compared since the i7-5850HQ lacks matching results in the FACT PACK.

When looking at average benchmark scores, the two are nearly inseparable: the i7-5850HQ averages 1688, while the i5-4690K averages 1682, a difference of just 0.3%. This tiny gap places the i5-4690K within 0.3% of the i7-5850HQ in the rivals table, alongside the Intel Core i7-3770K at 1688 (0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 7 3750H at 1690 (-0.1% delta). The i5-4690K also sits 0.3% ahead of the Intel Xeon D-1528 (1677) and 0.5% behind the Ryzen 7 3750H.

Architecture Differences

The two chips diverge fundamentally in their underlying design. The i7-5850HQ is built on Intel’s Broadwell architecture at a 14 nm process node, while the i5-4690K uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm node. This process advantage gives the i7-5850HQ a smaller die size of 182 mm² compared to 177 mm² for the i5-4690K, despite the latter packing 1,400 million transistors to the former’s undisclosed count.

Both processors feature 4 physical cores, but the i7-5850HQ supports 8 threads through Hyper-Threading, whereas the i5-4690K is limited to 4 threads. This explains the consistent multi-core advantage: the i7-5850HQ can process twice as many threads simultaneously, a capability that Cinebench’s rendering workloads heavily utilize.

Clock speeds favor the i5-4690K on paper. The i5-4690K runs at a 3.50 GHz base clock and boosts to 3.90 GHz, while the i7-5850HQ operates at 2.70 GHz base and 3.60 GHz boost. Yet the i7-5850HQ still wins single-core tests by over 20%, indicating that its Broadwell architecture delivers more instructions per clock (IPC) than the older Haswell design.

Cache configurations are identical at 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3. Memory support is also similar: both use dual-channel DDR3, though the i7-5850HQ achieves 29.9 GB/s memory bandwidth versus 25.6 GB/s for the i5-4690K. PCIe connectivity matches at Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes.

Integrated graphics differ substantially. The i7-5850HQ includes Iris Pro Graphics 6200, a premium integrated GPU, while the i5-4690K carries the more modest Intel HD 4600. Neither chip supports ECC memory.

The i5-4690K features an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable, while the i7-5850HQ is locked. The i5-4690K also has a higher TDP at 88W versus 47W for the i7-5850HQ, reflecting its higher clock speeds and older process node. Sockets are incompatible: the i7-5850HQ uses Intel BGA 1364, while the i5-4690K uses Intel Socket 1150.

The Verdict

From the data alone, the Intel Core i7-5850HQ is the clear performance winner. It beats the i5-4690K in every Cinebench test by roughly 21%, whether single-core or multi-core, across R15, R20, and R23. The 8-thread advantage is decisive in multi-threaded workloads, but the single-core wins are more surprising given the i5-4690K’s higher clock speeds.

However, the i5-4690K is not without merit. Its unlocked multiplier allows overclocking, a feature entirely absent from the locked i7-5850HQ. The i5-4690K also has a lower launch MSRP of $243 compared to $434 for the i7-5850HQ, though pricing considerations fall outside the scope of this analysis. The i5-4690K’s 88W TDP is higher, indicating it draws more power under load, but it also offers higher base and boost clocks out of the box.

For users prioritizing raw multi-threaded throughput — rendering, video encoding, compilation — the i7-5850HQ is the obvious choice based on its 20.9% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core. For those who value single-thread performance and overclocking headroom, the i5-4690K’s higher clocks could potentially close the gap, but the data shows it still loses single-core tests by 20.6% to 20.9%. The i5-4690K’s only measured advantage is its Geekbench scores, which are not matched by comparable i7-5850HQ results in the FACT PACK.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has higher multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-5850HQ wins all multi-core Cinebench tests by roughly 21%. It scores 588 vs 486 in R15, 2451 vs 2027 in R20, and 5836 vs 4828 in R23.

Q: Does the i5-4690K win any benchmark?

A: No. The head-to-head data records 0 wins for the i5-4690K. It does have Geekbench scores (3789 multi-core, 1292 single-core), but the i7-5850HQ has no comparable Geekbench results to compare against.

Q: How do the average scores compare?

A: The i7-5850HQ averages 1688, while the i5-4690K averages 1682. This is a 0.3% difference, placing them as near-identical in overall average performance.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: Both have 4 cores. The i7-5850HQ has 8 threads, while the i5-4690K has 4 threads.

Q: Which chip has a higher boost clock?

A: The i5-4690K boosts to 3.90 GHz, compared to 3.60 GHz for the i7-5850HQ. Despite this, the i7-5850HQ wins single-core tests by over 20%.

Q: Are these processors overclockable?

A: The i5-4690K has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable. The i7-5850HQ is locked and cannot be overclocked.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-5850HQ wins every head-to-head benchmark category in the FACT PACK. Its dominance spans both single-core and multi-core workloads, with consistent 20.6% to 21% deltas across all Cinebench versions. The 8-thread count is the primary driver of multi-core wins, while the Broadwell architecture’s superior IPC explains single-core victories despite lower clock speeds. The i7-5850HQ also offers higher memory bandwidth (29.9 GB/s vs 25.6 GB/s) and a more capable integrated GPU (Iris Pro Graphics 6200 vs Intel HD 4600).

The i5-4690K’s wins are less about benchmarks and more about flexibility. Its unlocked multiplier gives overclocking potential that the locked i7-5850HQ cannot match. The i5-4690K also has a higher base clock (3.50 GHz vs 2.70 GHz) and boost clock (3.90 GHz vs 3.60 GHz), which could matter in short, lightly-threaded bursts not captured by the Cinebench suite. The i5-4690K’s 88W TDP suggests it draws more power, but this also implies headroom for enthusiasts with adequate cooling.

In practical terms, the i7-5850HQ is the superior choice for any workload that scales with threads — rendering, encoding, scientific computing — as evidenced by its 20.9% lead in R23 multi-core. The i5-4690K is the better pick for users who plan to overclock and prioritize a lower launch MSRP ($243 vs $434), though this price difference is noted for reference only. For strictly stock performance, the data unequivocally favors the i7-5850HQ.